A beautifully preserved pair of mid-19th century Scottish oil paintings on wood panel, each signed and dated W. Grant, 1864. These companion works capture a Highland shepherd through the seasons — one scene set against a snowy moor, the other in a verdant summer landscape.
The shepherd, dressed in traditional tartan and bonnet, is accompanied by his loyal dogs and flock, rendered with striking realism and warmth. The attention to animal anatomy and expression reflects the influence of Sir Edwin Landseer and the broader Romantic movement in British art, which celebrated the virtues of rural life and nature’s beauty.
Each panel depicts not only daily pastoral life but also deeper themes of care, loyalty, and man’s enduring bond with the land and animals. Painted during a period of national pride in Scottish identity, these works would have originally appealed to a Highland or Edinburgh audience nostalgic for traditional ways of life.
Details:
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Artist: W. Grant (signed and dated 1864)
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Origin: Scotland
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Medium: Oil on wood panel
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Dimensions: 9.5” W x 12” H each
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Subject: Highland shepherd with flock and dogs
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Condition: Age-appropriate wear with light surface craquelure, minor edge losses, and gentle toning to varnish. Structurally sound and ready to hang.
Condition:
Both 1864 oil on panel paintings are in stable antique condition with age-appropriate wear. Each surface shows fine, stable craquelure, light scuffing, and minor edge losses typical of 19th century oils on wood. The winter scene has slight abrasions along the lower edge, while the summer scene shows gentle varnish yellowing and a few tiny paint losses toward the perimeter. Colors remain rich, the compositions are fully intact, and both panels display beautifully with their early metal loop hangers. Overall, they present very well for their age and are structurally sound and ready to hang.
